The religious parties Bayit Yehudi, United Torah Judaism and Shas have strongly objected to proposals to build a casino in Eilat, causing tension within the coalition as the prime minister and the Likud party have been vocal proponents of the initiative.

Bayit Yehudi chairman and Education Minister Naftali Bennett said on Wednesday that the idea was “forbidden, morally and practically,” and would cause social and financial damage to Israeli society.

“It is forbidden morally because casinos contradict the values of our state, serve the strong and weaken the weak, and practically because we will all need to fund the damage and injury to the body and soul that will come along with a casino,” said Bennett.